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Richard Charlesworth is a volunteer at Charnage House. One night he hears Captain Hawkins and Corporal Gaunt discussing the house, which, as Gaunt informs the Captain, the men don't like. Charlesworth interrupts them to report.

Charlesworth heads for bed, opting for sleep instead of the drinking, conversation and Christmas carols enjoyed by the other volunteers. In the early hours of the morning, he wakes for his patrol. Behind one of the doors, he hears a loud, strange sound. Terrified, he runs to report.

Hawkins orders a search of all the rooms. Charlesworth and Patterson are searching together. Suddenly, a strange man steps out of the shadows, claiming to be looking for a friend he has lost. He introduces himself as the Doctor, and they take him to Captain Hawkins.

Hawkins questions the Doctor closely, suspecting him of being a spy. The Doctor warns Hawkins' men to be careful of his friend, who is named Leela, as she could be dangerous. Gaunt reports the finding of a police box, which the Doctor claims as his.

Suddenly, Charlesworth is grabbed from behind and a knife held to his throat. The Doctor greets her happily, and she apologises for getting separated from him. She threatens to harm Charlesworth unless she and the Doctor are allowed to leave. They are escorted to the TARDIS, Leela holding the knife to Charlesworth's throat the whole time. When they reach the room containing the TARDIS, Leela and the Doctor hurriedly slip inside.

Hawkins orders that the house be surrounded to keep the two from escaping. The strange loud noise heard by Charlesworth earlier is repeated, and when they enter the room, the police box is gone.

Patterson and the other men tease Charlesworth about the strange woman, but he doesn't care. He thinks that the Doctor is a British secret agent and has hope that the war will end soon.